


Tough

by enigmaticagentscully



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-18
Updated: 2014-12-18
Packaged: 2018-03-02 01:21:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2794568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enigmaticagentscully/pseuds/enigmaticagentscully
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ficlet. Missing scene from the ‘Becoming’ two parter after Giles is taken by Angelus.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tough

Angel straightened up, theatrically working out the cricks in his neck.

“You know, I’ve got to hand it to you, you don’t give up easily.”

_The floor was slick and slippery with blood, but he stepped lightly over it. His footsteps echoed on the stone; the only sound apart from Giles’ ragged breath._

“You’re much tougher than your girlfriend. She didn’t put up much of a fight before I snapped her pretty little neck.”

_There was pain, fading but still raw and fresh. But pain could be overcome. Just one more enemy to defeat, one more demon to slay. Giles counted the cracked and fading tiles on the wall. Focus on that. Focus on anything else._

Angel cocked his head thoughtfully to the side.

“Unless you count crying, of course.”

_There were 75 complete tiles left on the wall._

“…fast runner though, you’ve gotta give her that”, he continued conversationally, sauntering around the back of the chair, out of sight.

_There were metallic noises behind him as Angel opened a drawer, but that was irrelevant, out of his control. He began to count the leaves of the plant in the corner._

“You know I had to chase her around the whole damn school before I caught up with her? It was worth it though, to see the look on her face. Man, it was _priceless_ , you should’ve been there!”

_Don’t listen to the voice. The voice is unimportant. There were 87 leaves on the plant. The plant itself was probably plastic._

“It’s really a shame you _weren’t_ there. We could have had some fun. Come to think of it, why was she all alone in the school so late? Pretty stupid of her, considering.”

_Ignore it. Don’t listen. Work out the area of the room. Don’t listen. Assuming the tiles are approximately twelve inches across…_

Angel strolled back into view holding something metallic in his hand.

“Oh that’s right, I remember!” He slapped his forehead in mock disbelief. “She was looking for my _cure!”_ He grinned and shook his head, walking over to the nearby table and picking up a rag.

_Giles had run out of calculations. Move on the abstract then. Ignore the room. Ignore his voice._

Angel paced across the floor briskly, polishing the thing in his hand with the rag.

“Either she liked me whole lot more than I realised—” He paused, and chuckled darkly. “Which seems unlikely, since I did just kill her uncle and all.”

_The square of 11 is 121. The Cube of 11 is 1331. The square of 12 is 144. The cube of 12 is 1728. The square of 13 is 169._

“Or…she wanted to get back in somebody’s good books. Enough to stay working in a public building after dark in Sunnydale? She must have _really_ liked you, man.” He stopped abruptly and crouched down until his face was inches from Giles’ own.

“Pity you let her die alone,” he murmured softly, and winked.

_The cube of 13 is…is…_

Angel leapt up and deposited the rag on the nearby table.

“Man, I’m hungry! You know, I think I might just go get a snack before I finish up here?” He glanced behind him and a smile spread slowly across his face.

“Hey, are you _crying?_ ” Angel gave a delighted laugh, strode over and slapped Giles companionably on the shoulder.

_Jenny._

“Guess you’re not as tough as I thought.”


End file.
